Develop a farm management action plan to address water quality issues on Hillside Farm.

Hillside Farm
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Introduction
Hillside Farm is a small farm in North-east London that features commercial agricultural activities, and it occupies a total of 190 ha of land. The farm adheres to most of the required standards regarding crop production and environmental management practices. There are some practices however that threaten to affect water quality in the farm and its surrounding environment. The quality of foods produced in Hillside farm strives to adhere to standards, and the farms subscribe to schemes such as Assured Food Standards that promote adherence to established high standards of foods. The land features important environmental components such as springs, ponds, woodland areas and hedgerows among other elements. The water sources in the farm such as the stream on the eastern part of the farm and a small pond inside the farm are important to the farm as well as the local flora and fauna. An issue of environmental concern is the merging of the stream with the land’s drainage. This has a potential to pollute the stream affecting both surface and underground water. The stream flows through important sections of the farm including the nursery and other areas near the cropped area. Any form of pollutants from the drainage has potential to affect crop quality which might impact food safety. Hillside Farm is within Nitrate Vulnerable Zone. This means that the farm management should restrict the use of some fertilizers such as Nitrogen and organic manures.

Biodiversity is declining in Hillside Farm. This calls for appropriate environmental measures to be taken to improve biodiversity. A report from The Environmental Agency has severally raised a red flag over the nutrient levels in the farm in the past. Eutrophication has specifically been identified as the major problem on the farm. This problem has adverse effect on the plants and animals within and outside the farm. The soils in the farm are loamy and clayey meaning they are susceptible to waterlogging especially in wet conditions. Soils on the part of the farm that features a steep gradient face the dangers of surface runoff that causes soil erosion during rainy reason or when the circumstances favor promoting surface run-off (Jha & Gaiha, 2016).
After several concerns about water quality in the farm, the farm’s management contracted a water company to analyze the water sourced from the farm to ascertain its pollutants.WATER101 Ltd sourced and analyzed drinking water from Hillside farm and discovered that the water is polluted by agricultural activities in the farm. Both surface and underground water are affected. The main water pollutant in the farm is pesticides used in spraying crops. Pesticides are serious pollutants because they are poisonous and can stay for a long time in water (Coleman, Grant & Josling, 2004).The problem is made worse by the fact that the pollutant has the potential to seep through the soil and find its way in underground water. The cost of removing pesticides in both surface and underground water is high.
Crop management and its contribution to water pollution
1. Winter Wheat
Winter wheat requires the application of ammonium nitrate fertilizer twice in the year (O’Shea & Powell, 2009). They are applied in March at the rate of 40kg per ha and in April or early May at the rate of 310Kg per ha. Superphosphate is applied at 750kg/ha (Švančárková & Žák, 2015). Repeated application of these fertilizers over the year increases the level of nitrates which is a contaminant of both ground and surface water. Excessive use of these fertilizers will also cause eutrophication and anoxia which threatens both aquatic and human life in Hillside farm.
To control weeds, herbicides such as Mesosulfuron-methyl together with iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium are used (Lemańczyk, 2012). According to a report by WATER101 ltd, Mesosulfuron-methyl was discovered in groundwater within Hillside farm indicating the excessive or irresponsible use of the herbicide. Mesosulfuron-methyl has a moderate solubility in water with a value of 483.It also has a high threshold of toxicological concern with some health effects. It is both skin and eye irritant. Broad Leaved weeds are controlled using amidosulfuron and iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium. Amidosulfuron was also discovered in the ground water. Excessive use of these pesticides in areas that are considered vulnerable sites such as areas with shallow aquifers, permeable or sandy soils will lead to pollution of both ground and surface water.
2. Winter barley
Ammonium nitrate is used in growing winter barley and it takes 300kg/ha in the period of February and March .The same amount is also used in April and May. Superphosphate is also used and it takes 450kh per ha. Excessive use of these fertilizers affects the quality of water at Hillside Farm. The herbicides used in controlling broad-leaved weeds have been found to affect the quality of underground water. The specific herbicide is amidosulfuron was found by WATER101 ltd to be present in underground water. Amidosulfuron has a high leachability with GUS leaching potential index being 5.18.This means the excessive or irresponsible use of this herbicide will cause it to leach and pollute water (Baral, 2013). With regards to controlling insects, esfenvalerate pyrethroid was found to be present in surface water. esfenvalerate has low leachability with GUS leaching potential index of -2.55.It has a high threshold of toxicological concern classified as Cramer class. Excessive use of this pyrethroid and others contributes to water pollution. Since Winter barely requires strict control of insects, the correct application rates of any insecticides should be used (Mařík, 2018). These chemicals are not only polluting surface and underground water but also affect farm workers (Butler-Ellis, 2012).
3. Winter Oilseed rape
Nitrogen which is usually in the form of ammonium nitrate is applied twice at the rate of 280kg/ha in February and early March and another 280kg/ha on the onset of spring. Phosphate and Potash are applied to the crop in the seedbed at the rate of 80kg/ha. Imidacloprid which is used in seed treatment was found to be present in the sample of surface water as analyzed by WATER101 Ltd. Imidacloprid has a high threshold of toxicology classified as Cramer Class or Class III (Kazda, Baranyk & Nerad, 2018). It is also known to cause reproduction or development effects as far as health issues are concerned.
4. The Orchard
Though the orchard is not considered to be amongst commercial enterprises in the farm, it has high ecological significance to the farm. The bees from the hives kept in the orchard are important in crop pollination (Jha & Gaiha, 2016). Fruits are part of the trees on the farm and are important in preserving water points in the farm.
Mitigation options
To deal with nitrate problems and leaking phosphate from Hillside’s arable soils, the farmer needs to establish buffer areas in strategic locations in the farm. These buffer zones will aid in absorbing phosphorous and denitrifying all nitrates in the farm. Wetland buffers can be used for the removal of nitrogen, but dry-semi natural vegetation can be used to remove phosphorous (Entry & Sojka, 2006).
All the three crops in Hillside Farm are plowed to a depth of 15-20 cm. Ploughing increases sediment and turbidity which is responsible for carrying pollutants such as pesticides and phosphorous among others. This creates siltation which results in habitat loss and spawning ground (Parks, 2007). This calls for a reduction of plowing depths or increasing pressing after plowing. Minimum tillage or what is referred to as conservation tillage is also encouraged (Baker, Saxton & Baker, 2007).
Ponds and water points within Hillside farm can be protected through the periodic removal of soil and particles which have accumulated in these water points. Soil erosion can be minimized by introducing diversion systems in the farm to protect water points. Grass makes the best component for creating buffer strips that aid in preventing polluted soil from accessing water points. (ZEIGER & FOHRER, 2009).
Nutrient management is an important consideration in Hillside farm as far as dealing with water quality issues is concerned. The fertilizers used in the production of the three crops are rich in nitrogen and phosphorous which are both pollutants when they are exposed to water in excess amounts. These pollutants are carried into water bodies by surface run-off that washes soil containing phosphorus and nitrogen downstream (Haygarth & Jarvis, 2002). Nutrient management involves the application of the right amount or rates of fertilizers at the right time of the year using the correct or prescribed methods. Nitrogen sensors can be introduced so that they can give feedback on the nutrient needs of soil in Hillside Farm. Another option is fertigation, a process involving irrigation of crops with water containing dissolved fertilizers (Farouque & Takeya, 2007).
Drainage management helps in diverting polluted water from agricultural sections from entering water bodies within the farm. There should be proper drainage that ensures wastes are properly collected and disposed of in the designed places. These wastes should also be properly treated before they are discharged to any site on the farm. Untreated waste not only pollutes groundwater and surface water but also affects the quality of the soil in the farm. This leads to diminished crop production in Hillside Farm as a result of soil acidification impacting its economic objective.
To mitigate pesticide pollution of water bodies in Hillside Farm, a range of good practices should be introduced. Crop rotation is an alternate method to mono-cropping which though makes work easy when managing a huge piece of land, encourages infestation of crops by pests, insects and different kinds of weeds (Napier, 2010). Crop rotation discourages weeds and insects thriving on a farm since they won’t be able to cope with new habitats and change of nutrients. Crop rotation leads to decreased use of pesticides and herbicides in addition to increasing farm yields. Other simple precautionary measures to decrease the use of pesticides include cleaning farm tools and machinery between fields to reduce the chances of spreading weeds on the farm. If pesticides have to be used, they must be not applied when precipitation is bound to happen or after the field has been irrigated.
Pesticide rotation is another practice that ensures that effective use of pesticides on a farm. It involves the use of different pesticides to prevent pests from becoming resistant to one pesticide which results in increased rates of application of the particular pesticide (Lescourret, 2017). Pesticides can also be incorporated into the soil by tilling into a few inches of the soil (Crittenden, Eswaramurthy, de Goede, Brussaard & Pulleman, 2014). This will lessen the number of pesticides being washed away by run-off water. The pre-plant application can also be utilized where pesticides are directly applied to the soil before the emergence of plants. This practice is understood to reduce pesticide run-off by a half. Split application is another technique whereby pesticides are applied in two phases, half before planting and half after planting. This practice is known to reduce pesticide run-off by a third (Gacheri, Kigen & Sigsgaard, 2015). If the first application controls the weeds, the second application will not be necessary. Another effective way of dealing with the pesticides problem is the addition of an adjuvant, otherwise known as spray mix additive. This is a type of chemical that increases the ability of pesticides to stick to the foliage of different plants being sprayed.
To control sediment, minimum tillage is one of the options to reduce erosion which causes river or water body sedimentation. Crop residues can be introduced in the field after harvesting to cover soils from direct hitting by rain causing surface runoff. The farm’s orchard can be improved by contour farming or growing any winter crop which will be mowed in spring or incorporated. The best option of the orchard is either legumes or grasses. Adding organic matter into the soil in the orchard will enhance its capacity to hold water. Alternatively, the orchard farm can be tilled lightly to remove the crust forming on the farm’s soil. These crusts impede water from soaking in.
Conclusion
Hillside farm has an opportunity to maximize its productivity while conserving the environment. Water is an important resource not only for the farm but also the surrounding community. Water enhances biodiversity in addition to being used by farmworkers. The farm must ensure proper agricultural activities to enhance the safety of water and ensure that the resource is available in abundance for future farm use and use by living things within and outside the farm.
Summary of mitigation options
Issue Mitigation Option How it will mitigate the issue
Nitrates Problem Buffer areas Aid in absorbing phosphorous and denitrifying all nitrates in the farm
Sedimentation Minimum tillage
Crop residues
Diversion systems
Buffer strips Reduce erosion
Cover soil from direct hitting by rain
Divert water from reaching water points
Nutrient Management Correct rates of fertilizer application
Application of fertilizer in the right time
Nitrogen sensors Reduce nitrogen and phosphorous
give feedback on the nutrient needs of the soil
Drainage management proper drainage Diverting polluted water from agricultural sections from entering water bodies within the farm
pesticide pollution Crop rotation
cleaning farm tools and machinery
Pesticide rotation
Pesticide incorporation into soil
Split application
addition of an adjuvant discourages weeds and insects thriving in a farm
reduce the chances of spreading weeds on the farm
prevent pests from becoming resistant to one pesticide hence its increased use
lessen the amount of pesticides being washed away by run-off water
reduce pesticide run-off by a third
increases the ability of pesticides to stick to the foliage
The orchard contour farming
Adding organic matter in to the soil in the orchard
Tilling lightly Prevent soil erosion
enhance its capacity to hold water
remove the crust forming on the farm’s soil
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